Serco swim instructor awarded MBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours list

Sally Anne Minty-Gravettas, a Serco swim instructor at AquaSplash Jersey has been awarded an MBE (‘Member of the British Empire’) in Her Majesty’s Birthday Honours list.

Sally was bestowed with the honour for her inspirational 27-year presidential leadership of the Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club (JLDSC), as well as teaching and coaching thousands of children and adults to swim.

Sally has been swimming since she was three years old and was taught to swim by her father, Leslie Minty, a founder member of JLDSC.

She is the only woman to have swum from the island of Sark to Jersey and has completed multiple English Channel crossings, as well as many other long distance open-water competition courses worldwide over the past five decades.

As President of JLDSC for almost three decades, Sally transformed the club into a well-respected and world-renowned swimming club boasting many great swimmers. She stepped down as President in 2015 but continues to be an active member promoting swimming in the sea.

Over the years, Sally has taught thousands of children and adults to swim and introduced many people, young and old, to the club. She has been working at Serco’s Jersey AquaSplash facility for 13 years and continues to teach all stages and ages from babies to adults six days a week. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her classes and her specialist area, unsurprisingly, is long distance.

Commenting on her award, Sally said: “I was extremely overwhelmed and feel very honoured to have been chosen to receive an MBE.”

Faye Camp, Serco’s Contract Manager for Jersey, commented: “Congratulations to Sally Anne on receiving this well-deserved honour and recognition from the Her Majesty. Sally has dedicated her life to swimming, and we are delighted she has been recognised for all her years of contribution.”

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